DAURE Microscopy

This page will contain electron microscopy images acquired by Esther Coz of CIEMAT at RJ Lee Group, Inc.

Images from the BCN site

Primary Biogenic Organic Particles

Despite not being an important group in abundance, the microscopy analysis of PM2.5 samples from BCN site revealed a very rich diversity of this particle type. Several families of spores, vegetative and insect detritus and bacteria have been identified with sizes from 300 nm up to 4 µm. Some of them are frequently mixed with other anthropogenic aerosols.

	Particle 1 Fungi spore Size = 3.3 µm Composition: Major components: C, O; Minor components: S, Cl, Ca Notes: Hiliferous appendix on the lower right, smooth ornament.
	Particle 2 Non classified Size = 410 nm Composition: Major components: C, O; Minor components: S, Cl Notes: Morphology with circular aperture and ornament that reminds a fungi spore.
	Particle 3 Vegetative detritus Size = 590 nm Composition: Major components: C, O; Minor components: Al, Si (not always) Notes: The morphology reminds a vegetative tissue in which some volatile material was initially entrapped (see the open cut).
	Particles 4 & 5 Fungi spores (possible) Size = 420 nm Composition: Major components: C, O; Minor components: S, Si, Cl, Na, K Notes: Different morphologies of possible fungi spores with similar size and elemental composition. The one on the lower right has golf ball texture and seems to have volatile contain. Both of them are very abundant in the samples and frequently found mixed with soot agglomerates.